Severity of dental caries in relation to salivary parameters and inorganic compositions among a group of 22-23 years old adults in Baghdad City

Abstract EN

Background : Dental caries is a wide spread chronic multifactorial disease.

The secretion rate and quality of saliva are important factors not only in caries development but also for remineralization.

The aim of this study was to measure the severity of dental caries among a group of 22-23 years old adults in relation to salivary flow rate, calcium and phosphate ions in unstimulated and stimulated saliva.

Materials and methods : Unstimulated saliva was collected from one hundred healthy adults (males and females) first then the stimulated saliva with one hour interval.

The sample was divided into three groups (mild, moderate and severe) according to (DMFS).

Salivary flow rates were estimated as ml/min.

Calcium ions were assessed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, while inorganic phosphate ions concentration were determined by Molybdenum- Vanadate method using Ulteaviolet visible spectrophotometer.

Results : Highly significant difference of unstimulated salivary flow rate means was found among DMFS caries severity groups, recording highest mean in mild group with non significant correlations with DMFS.

In relation to stimulated flow rate, significant difference was seen among DMFS severity groups, recording the highest mean within mild group and highly significant negative correlations with DMFS.

Unstimulated salivary calcium showed highly significant differences among DMFS severity groups, where the highest means were in the severe group and recorded highly significant correlations with DMFS, while phosphate recording non significant differences among DMFS severity groups and non significant negative correlation with DMFS.

In stimulated saliva, calcium showed highest mean values with highly significant differences in severe DMFS caries severity groups with highly significant correlation with DMFS, while phosphorus had significant highest mean within severe DMFS group and recorded non significant correlation with DMFS.

Conclusions : The study showed the importance of stimulated salivary flow rate in reducing dental caries severity.